Medicaid represents $1 out of every $6 spent on health care in the US and is the major source of financing for states to provide coverage to meet the health and long-term care needs of their low-income residents. Medicaid is administered by states within broad federal rules and jointly funded by states and the federal government. This brief examines the following three key Medicaid financing questions: How does Medicaid financing work now?; How much does Medicaid cost and how are funds spent?; What is the role of Medicaid in federal and state budgets?

This data note uses data from the January 2019 KFF Health Tracking Poll to examine the public’s attitudes toward and experiences with electronic health records (EHR). Nearly 9 in 10 say their physician uses an EHR, and this raises some concerns about privacy issues and impacts on quality of care. About one in five say that they or a family member have noticed an error in their personal medical information in their EHR.

Almost two-thirds of Medicare beneficiaries (65%), or nearly 37 million people, do not have dental coverage and many go without needed care, according to a new KFF brief on dental coverage and costs for Medicare beneficiaries. Rates are even higher among black and Hispanic beneficiaries, and those with low incomes. Medicare…

Medicare does not cover routine dental care and the majority of Medicare beneficiaries do not have dental coverage. Some beneficiaries have dental coverage through other sources, including Medicare Advantage, Medicaid, and private plans, but almost half of all beneficiaries have not been to the dentist in the past year and many older adults face high out-of-pocket costs for needed dental care. The brief reviews the state of oral health for people on Medicare, describing the consequences of foregoing dental care, current sources of dental insurance, use of dental services, and beneficiaries’ out-of-pocket spending.

On Monday, March 4, 2019, the Trump Administration published final regulations for the federal Title X family planning program that could dramatically reshape the safety-net program. Some of the major changes in the new regulations focus on disqualifying providers who offer abortion services from the Title X program and banning…

This brief reviews the Trump Administration’s new final Title X family planning regulations, compares them to the current program rules and discusses the implications of these changes for low-income women seeking family planning services and the providers that have been serving them with Title X support

About KFF’s San Francisco Conference Center KFF’s conference center facilities are one-of-a-kind meeting spaces for use by non-profits, public agencies and select private sector organizations. Through the use of its conference facilities, KFF aims to elevate discussion of health and the broader issues that surround it. KFF’s conference spaces are…

Medicaid is the nation’s public health insurance program for people with low income. The Medicaid program covers 1 in 5 low-income Americans, including many with complex and costly needs for care. The vast majority of Medicaid enrollees lack access to other affordable health insurance. Medicaid covers a broad array of health services and limits enrollee out-of-pocket costs. The program is also the principal source of long-term care coverage for Americans. Medicaid finances nearly a fifth of all personal health care spending in the U.S., providing significant financing for hospitals, community health centers, physicians, nursing homes, and jobs in the health care sector. Title XIX of the Social Security Act and a large body of federal regulations govern the program, defining federal Medicaid requirements and state options and authorities. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is responsible for implementing Medicaid.